Published: October 24, 2008
New Consumer Products Extend Club Penguin Offline
Popular Virtual World Marks Third Anniversary With New Toys

Club Penguin(TM), one of the largest and
fastest-growing virtual worlds for children, will mark its third
anniversary and celebrate the launch of a much-anticipated line of new
consumer products by throwing a party tomorrow in Toronto.
The new products bring to life the characters and environments found in
Club Penguin, the popular, snow-covered virtual world where children can
explore, play games and interact with friends in the guise of colorful,
animated penguin avatars. The new toy line includes collectible plush,
mini-figures and play sets that come with a code for kids to redeem virtual
items on clubpenguin.com. A limited assortment of home furnishings, books
and apparel is also available, and a Nintendo DS(TM) game is planned for
release this holiday season.
The Club Penguin virtual world is visited by millions of children around
the globe and is valued by parents for its proven commitment to safety. The
company recently opened international offices in the United Kingdom,
Australia, and Brazil to provide additional support and moderation to fans
there. As the virtual world's popularity has grown, so has demand for
products.
"Club Penguin is all about the kids, and they've been asking us to come up
with new ways they can experience the fun and creativity of the Club
Penguin world since we launched the site in 2005," pointed out co-founder
and general manager Lane Merrifield, who also heads up development of
virtual worlds for the Disney Interactive Media Group. "Every item we're
launching comes from the requests our audience has sent in. We're really
excited about these new products, and it's great that we can celebrate our
third anniversary by delivering more of what our fans want."
To help launch the new products the Toys"R"Us store in Vaughan Mills is
hosting a party from 1-4 pm on Saturday, October 25. The event will offer
the first look at the new Club Penguin toys, as well as a sneak peek at
Club Penguin: Elite Penguin Force, the soon-to-be-released Nintendo DS(TM)
game and the chance to bust a move on a dance floor just like the one on
clubpenguin.com. The Ontario party follows a massive online/offline party
on Friday that will include special activities happening simultaneously at
clubpenguin.com and at the Toys"R"Us in Times Square, New York City.
The all new Club Penguin toys are available at Toys"R"Us stores nationwide
as well as the Club Penguin shop online, Disneyshopping.com, Disney Stores
nationwide and Disney Theme Parks. Mirroring the collectible play pattern
from the site, the line will introduce a new plush figure every eight
weeks, including one based on the elusive and much sought-after Captain
Rockhopper character. Each item in the limited-edition toy line includes a
coin imprinted with a code kids can use to redeem virtual items on
clubpenguin.com. The code gives kids the opportunity to access unique items
not otherwise currently available to Club Penguin players. Both members and
non-members can redeem the coins.
"Internet toys are the hottest trend in the toy industry. Kids want to play
with their toys online as well as in the real world. The Club Penguin toy
line gives kids the best of both worlds," said Chris Heatherly, vice
president of technology and innovation, Disney Consumer Products. "The same
humor, surprises, and sense of personalization that made Club Penguin an
online success are engrained in these toys. Kids who love Club Penguin are
going to love these toys just as much."
The fall 2008 Club Penguin toy line manufactured by Jakks Pacific includes:
The Club Penguin 6.5" Plush assortment brings Club Penguin characters to
life with high quality, detailed costumes. Each Club Penguin 6.5" Plush
includes a coin with a code to unlock items on clubpenguin.com. Suggested
retail price: $9.99.
In the Club Penguin world, Puffles are the penguins' loveable pets. Now
kids can have their very own with the Club Penguin Puffle Plush. Available
in multiple colors, each Club Penguin Puffle Plush includes a coin with a
code to unlock items online. Suggested retail price: $5.99.
Kids can collect all their favorite penguin characters with the Club
Penguin 2" Mix 'n Match Figures. Each set includes two 2" Mix 'n Match
figures and a mini accessory. Mix 'n match the penguin parts to interchange
the costumes and create unique figure variations. Each Club Penguin 2" Mix
'n Match Figure includes a coin with a code to unlock items on
clubpenguin.com. Suggested retail price: $5.99.
The Club Penguin Igloo Playset provides a home for the 2" Mix 'n Match Club
Penguin Figures! This playset features a moving dance floor and music just
like on clubpenguin.com, as well as a shooting cannon with a basketball
hoop to aim at! The Club Penguin Igloo Playset stores up to 15 figures and
includes a coin with a code to unlock items online. Suggested retail price:
$29.99.
Additionally, a Nintendo DS(TM) game is planned for release this holiday
season:
Club Penguin: Elite Penguin Force for Nintendo DS(TM) allows players to go
on new missions as agents of the Elite Penguin Force, utilizing familiar
and all-new gadgets, accessories, disguises, vehicles and locations to
investigate mysterious events in Club Penguin. Play exclusive new
mini-games, including Snowboarding and Dance Challenge, as well as favorite
Club Penguin online mini-games such as Cart Surfer, Jet Pack Adventure and
Ice Fishing. Earn coins to spend in game or upload to online accounts.
Download weekly newsletters and polls, along with new, seasonal missions.
Suggested retail price: $29.99.
About Club Penguin
Club Penguin (www.clubpenguin.com), a division of Disney Online and part of
the Disney Interactive Media Group, provides one of the largest and
fastest-growing virtual worlds for children. Club Penguin is free to use
and enjoy, however a subscription membership provides access to additional
features that enhance the play experience. The Club Penguin virtual world,
which contains no third-party advertising, works to provide a fun and safe
online experience through the use of sophisticated filtering technology and
a team of highly trained moderators. Club Penguin is headquartered in
Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada and maintains offices and staff in
Brighton, England, Sydney, Australia and Sao Paulo, Brazil.
About Disney Consumer Products
Disney Consumer Products and affiliates (DCP) is the business segment of
The Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS) that extends the Disney brand to
merchandise ranging from apparel, toys, home décor and books and magazines
to foods and beverages, stationery, electronics and fine art. This is
accomplished through DCP's various lines of business which include: Disney
Toys, Disney Fashion and Home, Disney Food, Health & Beauty, and Disney
Stationery. Other businesses involved in Disney's consumer products sales
are Disney Publishing Worldwide, the world's largest publisher of
children's books and magazines, and www.disneyshopping.com, the company's
official shopping portal. The Disney Stores retail chain, which debuted in
1987, is owned and operated by Disney in North America and Europe. The
Disney Stores chain in Japan is operated under a license agreement with
Disney. For more information, please visit www.disneyconsumerproducts.com.
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